Twin City Model Railroad Museum — Attraction in Saint Paul

I've been a life-long model railroader, and had no idea this museum even existed! I heard about it at a recent visit to St Paul Union Depot, and got a discount coupon for admission. So I decided to visit, and I'm so glad I did!

No matter how old you are, this place will make you feel like a kid again. The centerpiece of the museum is an absolutely massive two-rail "O" scale layout depicting Minneapolis during the 1950's, and it's an absolute masterpiece of the art of model railroading, featuring an incredible amount of scratch-built structures and bridges. Truly one of the most impressive model railroads I've ever seen in my life, and I've seen a lot.

But there's a lot more here than just the large "O" scale layout. They have LEGO trains, G scale trains, several three-rail "O" scale layouts, HO scale layouts, including a really nice Marklin layout, N scale layouts and even a Z scale layout! There trains they have in display cases are drool-worthy all by themselves.

And do make sure you bring some little kids with you, as this museum greatly encourages "hands on" interactions with the train displays, with lots of buttons to push, and even a nice play area with LEGOS and wooden trains! Just about any young train lover is going to really love this place.

The staff are some of the nicest people you will ever meet, and take great pride in their little museum, as they rightly should. They are extremely helpful and knowledgable.

There is also a small, but very nice gift shop! I might have left with some books and some Brio trains for my own kids!

As far as I'm concerned, this place is a MUST SEE for all visitors of the Twin Cities. I gladly give it my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION. So glad I stopped by to visit, I will...

The Twin City Railroad Museum is so charming! We had a fun time! My husband and I visited after having it recommended by family, even though we may not have sought it out on our own, but it was a great time. It was really interesting to read up on some train history, and I learned a lot about the different scales and types of model trains. The displays were so intricate and fun. Each one was different, and it was fun to look for little pop culture and local references. I was very impressed at the artistry involved in creating the scenes features with the buildings and figures. Very cool! By the end, we were even talking about what kind we might build in our basement one day. There were lots of chances to be interactive with the exhibits, and because of that, I think this would be a great place to bring kids (as long as you keep an eye on them - there's lots of stuff you're instructed not to touch). I hope to bring my niece and nephew here one day! At only $10 each, it was a very affordable hour of entertainment! Lots of parking and very...

Wonderful place for kids and adults alike! There are tons of interactive items for the kids (and adults who are still kids at heart) to easily keep them entertained for several hours!

There are different sections throughout the museum. Some are model exhibits with buttons that make trains go or auxiliary items move around. There are a few sections that allow you to fully control the trains with a transformer of your own. Allowing you to go fast, slow, forwards or back as you see fit! Lastly There are several sections of brio trains that kiddos can have lots of fun with.

For adults, there is lots of fun train history info for you to read throughout the museum as well as lots of great info on the different size model trains.

Lastly, the volunteers are wonderful and will happily answer any questions you might have! The 'Train Doctor' had tons of helpful info for me on how to maintain and fix up our O-Gauge model train set at home.

All and all, it's totally worth the entry fee, give it a try! You won't be...